A former youth basketball coach at the Boys and Girls Club who was arrested this week is accused of human trafficking and molesting several children, some of whom had stayed at his Ocala home for multiple days.
On Wednesday, September 18, the Marion County Sherrif’s Office arrested 58-year-old Philip Carl Lombardo in connection with an investigation that began a few weeks earlier.
On Saturday, August 31, MCSO deputies responded to a residence on Spring Lake Place in Ocala in reference to a report that a man, identified as Lombardo, had refused to return a 15-year-old boy to his parents following a sleepover at the residence, according to the sheriff’s office.
Deputies were informed that the 15-year-old victim’s siblings had been returned to their parents earlier in the day, but the victim was still at Lombardo’s home. The report stated that when Lombardo was confronted about withholding the victim, Lombardo allegedly sent the victim’s parents a video that showed the boy “pretending to write a note to his parents requesting to stay with (Lombardo).”
Upon investigation, MCSO stated that deputies discovered that Lombardo had “coerced the victim to film the video.” In that video, the victim appeared to hesitate, which allegedly prompted Lombardo to “belittle” the boy.
According to the victim’s parents, when they told Lombardo that they were contacting law enforcement, Lombardo allegedly responded by stating that he was not concerned since he “works with the schools” and has a “spotless reputation.”
The sheriff’s office stated that the victim was eventually returned to his parents. During an investigation into the incident, several children came forward and told law enforcement that Lombardo had “touched them inappropriately” and “taken nude photos of them.”
A cellphone belonging to Lombardo was confiscated by investigators. During a forensic examination of the device, photos depicting the sexual abuse of a young child were allegedly discovered, along with “numerous images of (Lombardo) cuddling with the children and pictures of their feet,” according to MCSO.
Investigators ultimately determined that Lombardo used his former position as a Boys and Girls Club basketball coach to “build trust and gain access” to the juvenile victims in this case. The sheriff’s office stated that Lombardo “developed a pattern of keeping the children at his home for multiple-day stays.”
While the children were at his home, Lombardo allegedly molested two of them. In addition, he is being accused of exposing himself to the children and taking inappropriate photographs of them.
On Wednesday, September 18, Lombardo spoke with an MCSO detective and claimed that he was trying to “protect the kids” from abuse. The sheriff’s office stated that Lombardo admitted to offering the children’s parents $5,000 each in order to keep them at his home.
When confronted about the victims’ allegations of sexual abuse and the child sexual abuse material that was allegedly found on his cellphone, Lombardo “provided contradicting statements” to the detective and denied any wrongdoing, according to MCSO.
Lombardo was placed under arrest and transported to Marion County Jail, where he is currently being held without bond. He is being charged with human trafficking of a child for commercial sexual activity, interference with child custody, lewd or lascivious molestation of a victim less than 12 years of age, lewd or lascivious molestation of a victim between 12 and 16 years of age, lewd and lascivious exhibition, and two counts each of production of child pornography and possession of child pornography.
A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.
“Due to the nature of these crimes, Lombardo’s former position as a children’s basketball coach, and his [alleged] predatory nature using elements of isolation and control, detectives believe he may have victimized other children,” stated the Marion County Sheriff’s Office in a media release.
MCSO encourages anyone with information about other potential victims to contact Detective Osthed at 352-351-4710.